A statue of Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott, which was split in half during the Christchurch earthquakes, has been moved to a museum for restoration work.
The nearly century-old statue, which sat at the corners of Worcester Street and Oxford Terrace from 1917 until it was knocked off its plinth in February 2011, is now in Canterbury Museum's foyer while experts plan its renewal.
The 2.6-metre tall, three-tonne marble statue has become part of Christchurch's Quake City exhibition, with museum director Anthony Wright saying it was an important part of the city's history.
"[It] is a very tangible reminder of the region's links with the Antarctic and the heroic age of exploration," he said.
The statue has been in storage since the quake and Christchurch City Council Head of Parks Andrew Rutledge said a plan was being made for bringing it back to its original site.
"Heritage experts will be assessing a repair strategy over the coming months," he said.
The statue was commissioned by the council in 1913, and sculpted by Scott's wife, Kathleen, who learnt of his death while travelling to Christchurch to be reunited with him after the Terra Nova expedition of 1910.
